This invention relates generally to animal kennels for use with truck beds and, more particularly, to a collapsible kennel for use with capped truck beds that may be easily installed and uninstalled by a user and can be easily transported and stored.
Transporting dogs in a truck bed is often a difficult and dangerous undertaking. If the dog is not restrained, it may be tossed into the sides or even out of the bed when the vehicle makes sudden stops or hard turns. A truck cap (also known as a topper, shell, or camper shell) provides some protection but still leaves the dog at risk and allows it to roam around the bed without restraint. Harnesses and leashes provide restraint but can harm the dog during abrupt movements. Other than permanently installing a kennel, the only option is to transport dogs in a portable kennel that is securely tied down to the bed. This is a time-consuming and cumbersome task for people who do not wish to install a permanent kennel. This category of people would include those who need full use of their truck bed and those who only occasionally transport their dog(s) for hunting trips, vacations, etc.
Currently available kennels that are made for truck beds often occupy an excessive amount of space in the bed, such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,499,434 and 5,147,103. They also tend to be heavy, difficult to install, and expensive. Many are not compatible with truck caps or would require permanent modifications to the cap, such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,499,434 and Des. 397,082. Additionally, the existing kennels are not collapsible and require large storage space when not in use.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a kennel compatible with capped trucks that uses a limited amount of space, is easily installed and uninstalled by the user, does not require permanent modifications to the cap, is collapsible into a manageable package for storage, provides comfortable housing, and is relatively light and inexpensive.